Democrats already using congressional power against Trump's emergency declaration

Democrats have taken the first steps in challenging the declaration of national emergency by President Donald Trump made Friday in order to circumvent Congress on the construction of the border wall.

The Democrat-controlled House Judiciary Committee released a letter sent to the White House indicating that they have begun an investigation into the constitutionality of the declaration.

"We believe your declaration of an emergency shows a reckless disregard for the separation of powers and your own responsibilities under our constitutional system," said the letter signed by committee Chairman Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) and other members.

"By fabricating an emergency in order to bypass the political process for allocating a budget, you appear to be abusing both this trust and your own oath of office," the letter continued.

The committee is demanding communications that were made between the White House and the Department of Justice in relation to the declaration of national emergency.

Trump has admitted that the declaration of a national emergency was made because Democrats were unwilling to approve of the border wall.

There have been 58 declarations of national emergency in U.S. history, with 31 still in effect.

Nadler made his own person opposition to the declaration known through his social media account.

"The President's decision to declare a national emergency is a gross abuse of power that cannot be tolerated," he tweeted. "Congress will hold the Administration accountable for this reckless disregard of the rule of law."

Other organizations have said that they will use the legal system to challenge the authority and constitutionality of the national emergency.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) denounced the action by the president in a statement released on Friday.

"This is plainly a power grab by a disappointed President, who has gone outside the bounds of the law to try to get what he failed to achieve in the constitutional legislative process," read a joint statement from Schumer and Pelosi.